LORD BACON'S WORKS. LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE LORD TREASURER, | his place with great sufficiency. But those and CONCERNING THE SOLICITOR'S PLACE. the like things are as her majesty shall be made AFTER the remembrance of my humble duty, though I know, by late experience, how mindful your lordship vouchsafeth to be of me and my poor fortune, and since it pleased your lordship, during my indisposition, and when her majesty came to visit your lordship, to make mention of me for my employment and preferment; yet being now in the country, I do presume that your lordship, who of yourself had an honourable care of the matter, will not think it a trouble to be solicited therein. My hope is this, that whereas your lordship told me her majesty was somewhat gravelled upon the offence she took at my speech in parliament; your lordship's favourable endeavour, who hath assured me that for your own part you construe that I spake to the best, will be as a good tide to remove her from that shelve. And it is not unknown to your good lordship, that I was the first of the ordinary sort of the Lower House that spake for the subsidy: and that which I after spake in difference, was but in circumstance of time, which methinks was no great matter, since there is variety allowed in counsel, as a discord in music, to make it more perfect. But I may justly doubt, her majesty's impression upon this particular, as her conceit otherwise capable of them; wherein, knowing what author- June 6, 1595. BURGHLEY. of my insufficiency and unworthiness, which, SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE LORD TREASURER though I acknowledge to be great, yet it will be the less, because I purpose not to divide myself | MY LORD, between her majesty and the causes of other men, With as much confidence as mine own honest as others have done, but to attend her business and faithful devotion unto your service, and your only: hoping that a whole man meanly able, may honourable correspondence unto me and my poor do as well as half a man better able. And if her estate can breed in a man, do I commend myself majesty thinketh that she shall make an adven- unto your lordship. I wax now somewhat ancient; ture in using one that is rather a man of study one-and-thirty years is a great deal of sand in the than of practice and experience, surely I may re- hour-glass. My health, I thank God, I find con. member to have heard that my father, an example, firmed; and I do not fear that action shall impair I confess, rather ready than like, was made solici- it: because I account my ordinary course of study tor of the augmentation, a court of much business, and meditation to be more painful than most parts when he had never practised, and was but twenty- of action are. I ever bear a mind, in some middle seven years old; and Mr. Brograve was now in | place that I could discharge, to serve her majesty ; my time called attorney of the duchy, when he had not as a man born under Sol, that loveth honour; practised little or nothing, and yet hath discharged nor under Jupiter, that loveth business, for the VOL. III.-1 A 1 contemplative planet carrieth me away wholly: but as a man born under an excellent sovereign, that deserveth the dedication of all men's abilities. Besides, I do not find in myself so much self-love, but that the greater parts of my thoughts are to deserve well, if I were able, of my friends, and namely of your lordship; who being the Atlas of this commonwealth, the honour of my house, and the second founder of my poor estate, I am tied by all duties, both of a good patriot, and of an unworthy kinsman, and of an obliged servant, to employ whatsoever I am, to do you service. Again, the meanness of my estate doth somewhat move me for though I cannot accuse myself, that I am either prodigal or slothful, yet, my health is not to spend, nor my course to get. Lastly, I confess that I have as vast contemplative ends, as I have moderate civil ends: for I have taken all knowledge to be my providence;* and if I could purge it of two sorts of rovers, whereof the one with frivolous disputations, confutations, and verbosities: the other with blind experiments and auricular traditions and impostures, hath committed so many spoils; I hope I should bring in industrious observations, grounded conclusions, and profitable inventions and discoveries; the best state of that providence.* This, whether it be curiosity, or vainglory, or nature, or, if one take it favourably, philanthropia, is so fixed in my mind, as it cannot be removed. And I do easily see, that place of any reasonable countenance doth bring commandment of more wits than of a man's own, which is the thing I greatly affect. And for your lordship, perhaps, you shall not find more strength and less encounter in any other. And if your lordship shall find now or at any time, that I do seek or affect any place, whereunto any that is nearer unto your lordship shall be concurrent, say then that I am a most dishonest man. And if your lordship will not carry me on, I will not do as Anaxagoras did, who reduced himself with contemplation unto voluntary poverty: but this I will do, I will sell the inheritance that I have, and purchase some lease of quick revenue, or some office of gain, that shall be executed by deputy, and so give over all care of service, and become some sorry bookmaker, or a true pioneer in that mine of truth, which, he said, lay so deep. This which I have writ unto your lordship, is rather thoughts than words, being set down without all art, disguising, or reservation: wherein I have done honour both to your lordship's wisdom, in judging that that will be best believed of your lordship which is truest; and to your lordship's good nature, in retaining nothing from you. And even so, I wish your lordship all happiness, and to myself means and occasion to be added to my faithful desire to do you service. From my lodging at Gray's Inn. Province. SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE LORD TREASURER MY SINGULAR Good Lord, Your lordship's comfortable relation of her majesty's gracious opinion and meaning towards me, though at that time your leisure gave me not leave to show how I was affected therewith; yet upon every representation thereof it entereth and striketh more deeply into me, as both my nature and duty presseth me to return some speech of thankfulness. It must be an exceeding comfort and encouragement to me, setting forth and putting myself in way towards her majesty's service, to encounter with an example so private and domestical, of her majesty's gracious goodness and benignity; being made good and verified in my father, so far forth, as it extendeth to his posterity. Accepting them as commended by his service, during the nonage, as I may term it, of their own deserts, I, for my part, am very well content, that I take least part, either of his abilities of mind, or of his worldly advancement; both which he held and received, the one of the gift of God immediately, the other of her majesty's gift; yet, in the loyal and earnest affection which he bare to her majesty's service, I trust my portion shall not be with the least: nor in proportion with the youngest birth. should be a silent charge upon his blessing unto us all, in our degrees, to follow him afar off, and to dedicate unto her majesty's service both the use and spending of our lives. True it is, that I must needs acknowledge myself prepared and furnished thereunto with nothing but with a multitude of lacks and imperfections; but calling to mind how diversely, and in what particular providence God hath declared himself to tender the state of her majesty's affairs, I conceive and gather hope, that those whom he hath in a manner pressed for her majesty's service, by working and imprinting in them a single and zealous mind to bestow their duties therein; he will see them accordingly appointed of sufficiency convenient for the rank and standing where they shall be employed: so as, under this her majesty's blessing, I trust to receive a larger allowance of God's graces. And as I may hope for this, so I can assure and promise for my endeavour, that it shall not be in fault; but what diligence can entitle me unto, that I doubt And now seeing it hath pleased not to recover. her majesty to take knowledge of this my mind, and to vouchsafe to appropriate me unto her service, preventing any desert of mine with her princely liberality; first, I humbly do beseech your lordship, to present to her majesty my more than humble thanks for the same: and withal, having regard to mine own unworthiness to receive such favour, and to the small possibility in me to satisfy and answer what her majesty conceiveth, I am moved to become a most humble For methinks his precedent and inscrutable centre of the court, which is her majesty's mind, do not only toll the bell, but even ring out peals, as if your fortune were dead and buried, and as if there were no possibility of recovering her majesty's favour; and as if the best of your condition were to live a private and retired life, out of want, out of peril, and out of manifest disgrace. And so, in this persuasion to your lordship-wards, to frame and accommodate your actions and mind to that end; I fear, I say, that this untimely despair may in time bring forth a just despair, by causing your lordship to slacken and break off your wise, loyal, and seasonable endeavour and industry for redintegration to her majesty's favour, in comparison whereof, all other circumstances are but as atomi, or rather as a vacuum, without any substance at all. suitor to her majesty, that this benefit also may be affixed unto the other; which is, that if there appear in me no such towardness of service, as it may be her majesty doth benignly value and assess me at, by reason of my sundry wants, and the disadvantage of my nature, being unapt to lay forth the simple store of those inferior gifts which | God hath allotted unto me, most to view: yet that it would please her excellent majesty, not to account my thankfulness the less, for that my disability is great to show it; but to sustain me in her majesty's gracious opinion, whereupon I only rest, and not upon any expectation of desert to proceed from myself towards the contentment thereof. But if it shall please God to send forth an occasion whereby my faithful affection may be tried, I trust it shall save me labour for ever making more protestation of it hereafter. In the Against this opinion, it may please your lordmean time, howsoever it be not made known to ship to consider of these reasons, which I have her majesty, yet God knoweth it, through the collected; and to make judgment of them, neither daily solicitations wherewith I address myself out of the melancholy of your present fortune unto him, in unfeigned prayer, for the multiplying nor out of the infusion of that which cometh to of her majesty's prosperities. To your lordship, you by others' relation, which is subject to much also, whose recommendation, I know right well, tincture, but " ex rebus ab ipsis," out of the nature hath been material to advance her majesty's good of the persons and actions themselves, as the opinion of me, I can be but a bounden servant. So truest and less deceiving ground of opinion. For, much may I safely promise, and purpose to be, see-though I am so unfortunate as to be a stranger to ing public and private bonds vary not, but that my service to her majesty and your lordship draw in line. I wish, therefore, to show it with as good proof, as I can say it in good faith, etc. Your lordship's, etc. TWO LETTERS FRAMED, ONE AS FROM MR. AN- OTHER, AS THE EARL'S ANSWER. MY SINGULAR GOOD LOBD, her majesty's eye, much more to her nature and manners, yet by that which is extant I do manifestly discern, that she hath that character of the divine nature and goodness, as "quos amavit, amavit usque ad finem;" and where she hath a creature, she doth not deface nor defeat it: insomuch as, if I observe rightly, in those persons whom heretofore she hath honoured with her special favour, she hath covered and remitted, not only defections and ingratitudes in affection, but errors in state and service. 2. If I can, scholar-like, spell and put together This standing at a stay doth make me, in my the parts of her majesty's proceedings now tolove towards your lordship, jealous, lest you do wards your lordship, I cannot but make this consomewhat, or omit somewhat, that amounteth to a struction: that her majesty, in her royal intention, new error; for I suppose, that of all former mat- never purposed to call your doings into public ters there is a full expiation; wherein, for any question, but only to have used a cloud without thing which your lordship doth, I, for my part, a shower, and censuring them by some restraint (who am remote,) cannot cast or devise wherein of liberty, and debarring from her presence. For my error should be, except in one point, which I both the handling the cause in the Star Chamber dare not censure nor dissuade; which is, that as was enforced by the violence of libelling and ruthe prophet saith, in this affliction you look up mours, wherein the queen thought to have satisfied "ad manum percutientem," and so make your the world, and yet spared your appearance. And peace with God. And yet I have heard it noted, then after, when that means, which was intended that my Lord of Leicester, who could never get for the quenching of malicious bruits, turned to to be taken for a saint, yet in the queen's disfa-kindle them, because it was said your lordship vour waxed seeming religious. Which may be thought by some, and used by others, as a case resembling yours, if men do not see, or will not see, the difference between your two dispositions. But, to be plain with your lordship, my fear rather is, because I hear how some of your good and wise friends, not unpractised in the court, and supposing themselves not to be unseen in that deep was condemned unheard, and your lordship's sister wrote that private letter, then her majesty saw plainly, that these winds of rumours could not be commanded down, without a handling of the cause, by making you party, and admitting your defence. And to this purpose, I do assure your lordship, that my brother, Francis Bacon, who is to wise to be abused, though he be both reserved in all particulars more than is needful, yet in | trust (next to God) in her majesty's grace, and generality he hath ever constantly, and with asse- not be wanting to yourself. I know your lordveration, affirmed to me, that both those days, ship may justly interpret, that this which I perthat of the Star Chamber, and that at my lord suade may have some reference to my particular, keeper's, were won of the queen, merely upon because I may truly say, “tu stante non virebo," necessity and point of honour, against her own for I am withered in myself; but manebo, or inclination. tenebo, I should in some sort be or hold out. But though your lordship's years and health may expect return of grace and fortune, yet your eclipse for a time is an "ultimum vale" to my fortune: And were it not that I desired and hope to see my brother established by her majesty's favour, as I think him well worthy for that he hath done and suffered, it were time I did take that course from which I dissuade your lordship. Now, in the mean time, I cannot choose but perform those honest duties unto you, to whom I have been so deeply bound, etc. 3. In the last proceeding, I note three points, which are directly significant, that her majesty did expressly forbear any point which was irrecuperable, or might make your lordship in any degree incapable of the return of her favour, or might fix any character indelible of disgrace upon you for she spared the public places, which spared ignominy; she limited the charge precisely, not to touch disloyalty, and no record remaineth to memory, of the charge or sentence. 4. The very distinction which was made in the sentence of sequestration, from the places of service in state, and leaving to your lordship the place of master of the horse, doth, in my understanding, point at this, that her majesty meant to THE EARL OF ESSEX'S ANSWER TO MR. ANTHONY use your lordship's attendance in court, while the exercises of other places stood suspended. 5. I have heard, and your lordship knoweth better, that now since you were in your own custody, her majesty, "in verbo regio," and by his mouth to whom she committeth her royal grants and decrees, hath assured your lordship, she will forbid and not suffer your ruin. 6. As I have heard her majesty to be a prince of that magnanimity, that she will spare the service of the ablest subject or peer, where she shall be thought not to stand in need of it; so she is of that policy, as she will not blaze the service of a meaner than your lordship, where it shall depend merely upon her choice and will. 7. I held it for a principle, that those diseases are hardest to cure, whereof the cause is obscure; and those easiest, whereof the cause is manifest. Whereupon I conclude, that since it hath been your errors in your lowness towards her majesty which have prejudiced you, that your reforming and conformity will restore you, so as you may be "faber fortunæ propriæ." Lastly, considering your lordship is removed from dealing in causes of state, and left only to a place of attendance, methinks the ambition of any which can endure no partners in state-matters may be so quenched, as they should not laboriously oppose themselves to your being in court. So as, upon the whole matter, I cannot find, neither in her majesty's person, nor in your own person, nor in any third person, neither in former precedents, nor in your own case, any cause of peremptory despair. Neither do I speak this, but that if her majesty out of her resolution should design you to a private life, you should be as willing, upon the appointment, to go into the wilderness, as into the land of promise; only I wish that your lordship will not despair, but put Mr. BACON, BACON'S LETTER. I thank you for your kind and careful letter, it persuadeth that which I wish for strongly, and hope for weakly, that is, possibility of restitution to her majesty's favour; your arguments that would cherish hope, turn into despair: you say the queen never meant to call me to public censure, which showeth her goodness; but you see I passed it, which showeth others' power. I believe most steadfastly, her majesty never intended to bring my cause to a public censure: and I believe as verily, that since the sentence she meant to restore me to tend upon her person: but those which could use occasions, (which it was not in me to let,) and amplify and practise occasions to represent to her majesty a necessity to bring me to the one, can and will do the like to stop me from the other. You say, my errors were my prejudice, and therefore I can mend myself. It is true; but they that know that I can mend myself, and that if I ever recover the queen, that I will never loose her again, will never suffer me to obtain interest in her favour and you say, the queen never forsook utterly where she hath inwardly favoured; but know not whether the hourglass of time hath altered her; but sure I am, the false glass of others' informations must alter her, when I want access to plead mine own cause. I know I ought doubly, infinitely to be her majesty's, both "jure creationis," for I am her creature: and "jure redemptionis," for I know she hath saved me from overthrow. But for her first love, and for her last protection, and all her great benefits, I can but pray for her majesty; and my endeavour is now to make my prayers for her and myself better heard. For, thanks be to God, that they which can make her majesty believe I counterfeit with her, cannot make God believe that I |